All votes in Johnson County have been marked on paper ballots since new equipment was introduced in 2018. Many voters choose to use a touchscreen ballot marking device to mark their ballots, but full-size, hand-marked paper ballots are always an option for those who prefer to vote in that manner.
For those who use the touchscreen, a ballot card will be issued during the check-in process. This blank ballot will be inserted into the voting machine, which will print your selections when you have finished voting. After voting, you will review your selections on the ballot card before inserting it into the ballot scanner for counting and secure storage.
For voters who prefer a hand-marked ballot, the correct ballot will be issued to you after checking in. You will use an ink pen to fill in the ovals next to the names of the candidates you wish to vote for. After voting, you will review your selections on the ballot before inserting it into the ballot scanner for counting and secure storage.
Voters who elect to receive their ballots by mail, or who need to vote curbside at a voting location will mark their votes on a full-size paper ballot.
Ballot options in Johnson County
Sample Ballots
Sample ballots are available for all major elections approximately three weeks before Election Day. To view your sample ballot, visit VoterView and look up your voter information. A link to your sample ballot will be provided.
Rotation of Candidate Names on Ballot
Kansas law requires that candidate names be rotated by precinct. Ballot rotation ensures that candidates receive a equal opportunity to be the first name in the list of candidates for a contest.
The initial candidate order is alphabetical. After that, the number of registered voters in a district is divided by the number of candidates to determine the number of registrants in each rotation. Precincts are assigned to rotations alphabetically to achieve the most equal breakdown of registered voters.
This process is calculated and completed for each contest on the ballot with the exception of precinct committee offices, 3rd class city office and drainage district offices, which are not subject to rotation.
Write-In Candidates
When a voter chooses to vote for a write-in candidate not printed on the ballot, each write-in candidate must be individually reviewed to determine eligibility status. The list of write-in candidates will be available after the election canvass on Monday following Election Day.
Write-in lines are not available in every contest, particularly in primary elections when candidates are nominated. When no write-in line is present for a contest, write-in votes are not allowed. Any names written on that portion of the ballot will be ignored.
Provisional Ballots
Provisional ballots are voted when a voter's registration is in question, or when our records indicate the voter was already sent an advance ballot.
Provisional ballots are sealed in special envelopes and must be individually researched and verified at the Election Office prior to presenting them to the Board of Canvassers.
If you vote a provisional ballot in Johnson County, you may find out whether your ballot was counted, and if not why. Call the Johnson County Election Office at (913) 715-6800.